One, if not the most difficult aspects of golf, is that of putting. Its importance cannot be minimized since about half of the strokes taken in a round of golf are putts. Seemingly, the golf stroke should be relatively easy to execute since it is relatively short and requires no movement of the torso or body weight shift. Unfortunately, most golfers find such simplicity to be an illusion.
Preparatory to executing a putt a golfer must survey that portion of the green located between his or her ball and the cup to determine which way the ball will curve or "break", whether the course of travel is uphill or downhill, and the magnitude of such terrain deviations from a level surface. Once this is done the golfer merely has to stroke the ball in a predetermined direction with sufficient force for the ball to roll to the cup. However, this is far easier to say than to do well.
Heretofore physical aids have been devised for use in training golfers to putt. To Applicant's knowledge none have been devised as an aid in training golfers to stroke with proper force; nor is the present invention directed to such. Instead, the aids proposed or actually developed for use in enhancing a golfer's ability to putt have comprised a track having a pair of spaced, parallel guides between which one swings the putter head. Deviations in movement of the head between the two guides are sensed visually or by contact of the putter head with one of the guides. Exemplary of such putting aids are those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,230,319, 4,423,875 and 4,437,669.
The limited success achievable by devices of the type just described is believed to be attributable to the absence of physical sensory inputs. A golfer will mentally know when he or she has executed a putt well with such a device by visual observation and the absence of external force or shock. However, repetition without reliance on the aid is dependant on memory of the body movement that produces good putts. In other words, one must somehow recall and repeat a movement that was correct as measured by the absence of a physical input, i.e. feeling the putter head not contact a guide.
Heretofore, such a positive sensory input has been provided by the golf club swing training device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,035, which, surprisingly, actually preceded the just described aids. This device provides means for slidably securing the shaft of a golf club to a rail supported above a playing surface, which rail extends along an ideal club swing path for short golf shots such as pitches and putts. By swinging the club slidably attached to the rail the trainee may feel the club as it transits an ideal path of travel while being moved by the trainee. In this manner a positive sensory input is made.
Unfortunately, there are two serious problems associated with positive feedback training aids of the just described type. A rather obvious one is the lack of sufficient accommodation for individuals of differing stature. In other words, only very limited adjustment is provided by the device to personalize it. A more subtle limitation is the rigidity provided in actually coupling the club to the device. This makes for difficulty in making the transition from use of the aid to actual play without the aid.
Accordingly, it is seen that were apparatus to be devised that could be used in a manner to provide some degree of positive input feel while retaining a balanced degree of swing freedom, a distinct advance in the art could be achieved. This would facilitate transition from aided practice to actual play. It is to the provision of such therefore that the present invention is primarily directed.